taking cover from the world

My mom made incredible forts for me & my sister when we were little. She would use every sheet in the house and create forts with numerous rooms that spanned the house. I will always remember her forts growing up. I still like forts. My kids do too. There is something about hiding underneath a random hanging sheet that makes the world disappear.

I found my kids on the front porch building a fort. It was a very windy day and they were taking cover together in their handmade fort. There is not much in life I enjoy more than seeing them play together…happily. When I see them enjoying eachother as much as I enjoy each of them, well…my cup overflows.

They invited me to come inside.

Forts still make the world disappear. While I hunkered down under that old ladder covered in a quilt, I listened to them laugh together. I laughed with them. Sometimes I don’t slow down enough for that…to really belly laugh with them. To close my eyes and fully take in the sound of their laughter. To study their little faces and soak in the cuteness of a baby tooth grin.

My oldest, being very much the oldest, drew out a battle plan. Bad guys were going to attack their fort and they needed a plan of action. Each had a role to play. They were all crucial to how the battle would play out and victory would be claimed.

She prayed for victory and protection. (not really, I have no idea what she is doing, but it looks like praying!)

In the end, they decided it was too windy and it was better to stay in the fort and cuddle with me. The only time they ever ask me to lay down is when they’ve built a fort. I could handle a fort every day. My forts may not be as incredible as my mom’s were, but I hope they remember me inside their forts. I hope they remember cuddling on random piles of pillows under strung sheets and laughing together.

I hope I remember these days too.